Daily Times

Racism and hate crime are lasting and entrenched features of Scotland, of which Glasgow is the main city, whereas Edinburgh is the capital.

On July 2, 2013, this writer wrote (Daily Times, “Pakistani students and Glasgow: a case study in racism”) to raise the issue of lying hidden from the public eye. The piece identified the “Hate Asian” phenomenon rampant in Glasgow, ranging from the use of abusive language to harming Asians physically (by using empty wine bottles or baseball bats or by stabbing) of the Asians frequently and regularly irrespective of the impact of education on the locals by three famous universities: the University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University.

Unfortunately, all these universities have failed to leave any ameliorative impact on the locals, the Scots. There is present a disconnect between education and society. Education has failed to influence the locals. Right-wing conservatism has dwarfed the constructive effects of education on Scottish minds and manners. The Scots show disrespect to overseas students who otherwise bring along not only money to feed the universities and surrounding businesses but also introduce diversity to make the education and work environment competitive.

Right-wing conservatism has dwarfed the constructive effects of education on Scottish minds and manners.

The Scots do not even spare the Great Western Road (the main road of Glasgow) to throw garbage and spit at the Asians even during the daytime. Some Scots resort to unleashing their dogs on the Asians. Even Scottish children (both boys and girls) are found doing malicious racist acts. The question is this: other than their parents, who can whisper in their ears hate against Asians? Obviously, when these children grow up and get enrolled in local colleges and universities, they will not spare their Asian class fellows. They already harbour hostility against Asian students. It is impossible that Scottish students hailing from areas notorious for racism would shun racism and hate crime when they enter universities and find Asian students their class fellows. Similarly, when they grow up and become teachers and professors, they cannot hide their racist feelings against Asians.

It is impossible that racist practitioners can avoid racism when they become professors. The University of Glasgow is known for having professors who practise racism. Education has helped them find new ways of hurting their victims without getting caught. Education is now just a smokescreen to hide racial hatred. Even the renowned newspaper the Herald remains silent.

On July 31, 2016, the BBC reported that almost 3,000 racist incidents had been reported in Scotland’s schools (both primary and secondary) over the past five years. On September 28, 2016, the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research issued a report titled “A Review of the Evidence on Hate Crime and Prejudice: Report for the Independent Advisor Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion,” which indicated that the official figures suppressed the actual number of hate crime (especially against ethnic minorities such as the Asians) and their harmful effects in Scotland in 2014 and 2015.

The tyranny is that neither the British High Commission nor the British Council informs Pakistani students of the harms of studying in Glasgow. The invitation brochures of Scottish universities deceive overseas students by painting a rosy picture of the Scots depicting them as well-mannered, hospitable and welcoming. All such claims are rubbish and they fall flat when one reaches Glasgow (or other Scottish cities). Bullying is a common phenomenon in universities. The added tragedy is that the Pakistanis settled in Scotland (or in Glasgow) keep on observing silence and hiding their compromised posture perhaps to ensure their survival as immigrants.

The British Council is a procurer to solicit clients to the service provider only. The Council avoids responsibilities by saying that it is just a charity organization, which cannot be held accountable for what is happening in Scottish universities. It does not alert Pakistani students to the ills of Scotland. The same is true for the British High Commission which exonerates itself from any deception or harm done to any Pakistani student studying in universities of the United Kingdom (UK).

On October 4, 2016, this writer again wrote (Daily Times, “Rampant racism and hate crime in Scotland”) to highlight the aspects which remained hidden from a keen eye. However, in 2018, the British Council in Pakistan and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan launched a joint program called the Pak-UK Education Gateway. The program aimed at enhancing partnership between the higher education sectors of both countries, without taking into account the growing trends of racism in the UK. Several Pakistani students have complained that the University of Glasgow runs bogus post-graduate research courses. It invites overseas students based on its enticing booklets and brochures, but it does not deliver on the pronounced claims. In the middle of the course, students find that they have been deceived by the university. Overseas students are damaged financially at the cost of the local students.

In 2019, the Equality and Human Rights Commission published an inquiry report into experiences of racial harassment in the UK’s universities. The finding was that racism was underreported because of fear of reprisal and recrimination. Consequently, a commission was formed at the University of Glasgow, but it failed to resolve the issue. In February 2021, Scottish students popularized the slogan “Black Bastard” to discourage non-white ethnic minority students. Unfortunately, there is also a tendency to hide the reality of racism in Scotland, as admitted by Jean Johansson, who ran a documentary “What is the reality of racism in Scotland?” on BBC One Scotland in April 2022.

The past several years have seen a surge in the number of Chinese students getting enrolled at the University of Glasgow. However, in September 2022, Chinese students were horrified to notice the slogan “Kill the Chinese” painted as graffiti both inside and on the walls around the university.

The point is simple: Reports and Commissions cannot solve the issue of racism in Glasgow. Racism has gripped the whole of Scotland. When a Scottish child is raised with the whispers of racial discrimination, racism is bound to stay in society which is represented by Scottish students in Scottish universities.

The writer can be reached at qaisarrashid @yahoo.com.